Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Masanori Mishima

Hirofumi Konishi

Minoru Maehara

Masanao Okawa

Yohei Hayashi

Katunobu Hamamoto

Hiroshi Kido

Takeshi Kamoi

Nobuyoshi Takeuchi

Naoki Komatsu

Satoru Nagata

Yoshinobu Murakami

Naoki Onishi

Shohei Yamamoto

Katsumi Sato

Takahiro Abe

Kenichi Yuki

An LED module includes: an LED disposed on a substrate; an input terminal and an output terminal for supplying current to the LED from a lighting circuit; an identification terminal for outputting to the lighting circuit an electric signal representing identification information for identifying electrical characteristics of the LED; and an identification information setter that is connected between the output terminal and the identification terminal and variably sets the identification information.

Solid-state light-emitting element module and lighting assembly

A lighting circuit which supplies current to a solid-state light-emitting element module (LED module) including: a solid-state light-emitting element (LED); a first input terminal connected to one end of the solid-state light-emitting element; a second input terminal connected to another end of the solid-state light-emitting element; and a rectifying element (diode) connected in inverse-parallel connection with the solid-state light-emitting element, includes; a power supplier that supplies current to the solid-state light-emitting element module selectively in one of a forward direction and a reverse direction of the solid-state light-emitting element; a voltage detector circuit that detects voltage that is applied between the first input terminal and the second input terminal, when the power supplier supplies current in the reverse direction of the solid-state light-emitting element; and a control circuit that controls an output current of the power supplier based on the result of the detection by the voltage detector circuit.

Lighting circuit and illumination system

A lighting circuit which supplies current to a solid-state light-emitting element module (LED module) including: a solid-state light-emitting element (LED); a first connection terminal connected to one end of solid-state light-emitting element; a third connection terminal connected to another end of the solid-state light-emitting element; and a second connection terminal, includes: a characteristics detector that detects one of open and short circuits between the third connection terminal and the second connection terminal; and a power controller that adjusts current that is supplied between the first connection terminal and the third connection terminal of the solid-state light-emitting element module, to a predetermined value greater than zero, when the characteristics detector detects one of the open and short circuits between the third connection terminal and the second connection terminal.

Lighting circuit, luminaire, and illumination system

A lighting system includes: a lighting device having an LED as a light source; a lighting circuit; and a heat dissipation device configured to dissipate heat generated by the lighting device. The lighting circuit has: a power source configured to supply electric power to the LED; and a controller configured to control current which is output from the power source to the LED. The heat dissipation device has a device characteristics information providing unit configured to provide device characteristics information of the heat dissipation device to the controller, wherein the controller determines compatibility between the heat dissipation device and the lighting device, based on the device characteristics information, and controls lighting of the LED.

Lighting system

A light-emitting-element lighting circuit for dimming a light emitting element by a PWM dimming signal of a duty ratio corresponding to an input dimming signal is provided. The lighting circuit includes a PWM dimming signal generating unit which generates the PWM dimming signal by performing a summation of AC wave signals including a fundamental wave and harmonics of different frequencies that are integer multiples of a fundamental frequency of the fundamental wave. The fundamental frequency is equal to or higher than a frequency, at which a sound pressure level is at maximum, in an audible frequency range in a correlation spectrum between the sound pressure level generated from the light emitting element and a frequency of an AC wave signal inputted to the light emitting element.

Lighting circuit for light emitting element and illumination apparatus including same

An organic EL module includes a flat plate-like light emitting panel configured to use an organic EL element; and a holding member configured to hold the light emitting panel. The holding member includes: a conductive member serving as at least a part of the holding member, and a capacitance component is provided between the conductive member and an electrode layer, the electrode layer being provided in the light emitting panel to supply a driving voltage thereto.

Organic EL illumination module and illumination apparatus including same

A light-emitting-element lighting circuit for dimming a light emitting element having a diode characteristic by a PWM dimming signal is provided. The lighting circuit includes a dimming signal conversion unit configured to generate the PWM dimming signal having a duty ratio corresponding to an emission level specified by an input dimming signal. The lighting circuit further includes a minimum current generating circuit configured to flow a minimum current during an OFF period of the PWM dimming signal generated by the dimming signal conversion unit such that a voltage greater than a threshold voltage designed to allow the light emitting element to emit a light is applied to the light emitting element, and the light emitting element emits a light of a brightness equal to or less than a lowest emission level specified by the dimming signal.

A lighting power source provides AC or DC power as needed to power an electric light source. A first switching element and a diode are coupled in series across output ends of a DC power source, with a second switching element coupled across the diode. An inductor forms an output loop with the diode. A driving capacitor has a first end coupled to a node between the first switching element and the diode. A charging power source is coupled to a second end of the driving capacitor and supplied with power from the DC power source. During a charging operation, a control circuit charges the driving capacitor by turning on the second switching element while maintaining the first switching element in an OFF state. During a normal operation which follows the charging operation the control circuit repeatedly turns on/off the first switching element while maintaining the second switching element in the OFF state.

Lighting power source with controlled charging operation for driving capacitor

An illumination load determination device includes an illumination load; a voltage applying unit for applying a voltage to the illumination load; a connection unit for connecting the illumination load and the voltage applying unit; a detection unit for detecting at least one of a current flowing through the illumination load and a voltage across the illumination load when the voltage is applied to the illumination load from the voltage applying unit via the connection unit; and a determination unit for determining a type of the illumination load based on an output from the detection unit. The determination unit has a comparator for comparing a detection value detected by the detection unit to a predetermined threshold, and determines that the illumination load has a capacitance based on an output of the comparator. The voltage applying unit lights on the determined illumination load with a rated driving voltage.

Load determination device and illumination apparatus using same

A lighting apparatus of high intensity discharge lamp comprises a DC power source, a series connection of a first and a second transistors; a series connection of a first and a second capacitors connected in parallel with the series connection of the transistors; a series connection including at least an inductor and a discharge lamp connected between a connection point of the transistors and another connection point of the capacitors, and a control circuit for switching on and off of the transistors so as to supply electric power to the discharge lamp. A voltage of the first capacitor is set to be higher than that of the second capacitor corresponding to the capacitances of the first and second capacitors. Thus, the pulse height in negative or positive phase of the rectangular alternating voltage applied to the discharge lamp can be increased without increasing the output voltage from the DC power source.

Lighting apparatus for high intensity discharge lamp

An electronic ballast for a discharge lamp is capable of dimming the lamp over a wide range, yet minimizing a color temperature deviation. The ballast includes a power converter which converts an input DC voltage into a lamp power for driving the lamp, and a dimmer providing a dimmer command of a varying dimming ratio in order to reduce the lamp power to a greater extent as the dimming ratio decreases. A controller controls the power converter to supply a high frequency AC current to the lamp in response to the dimming ratio decreasing to a predetermined level, and to reduce an RMS value of the high frequency AC current as the dimming ratio decreases past the predetermined level.

Electronic ballast for a high intensity discharge lamp

A power source device is so constituted that a first capacitor connected across DC output terminals of a rectifier is made to be of a relatively small capacity, a resonance circuit is formed by a primary winding of a transformer and a second capacitor, first and second switching elements connected in parallel to a smoothing capacitor are alternately made ON and OFF to cause currents to flow, a both-end voltage of the first capacitor drops to be substantially close to zero volt even in a period in which a source voltage of an AC power source becomes substantially zero, and an input current can be drawn in smoothly over the entire range of a cycle of the source voltage of the AC power source, whereby higher harmonics of the input current can be reduced, a pulsation of the current flowing to a load can be minimized, and required number of parts for the power source device is reduced to be able to realize circuit simplification and cost reduction.

Power source device

An inverter device includes a rectifier for rectifying an AC voltage produced by an A.C. power source; an inverter circuit receiving a first DC output voltage and outputting a high frequency voltage for operating a load circuit; and auxiliary power supply means including a smoothing capacitor connected across the rectifier for smoothing current supplied to the load circuit, wherein the inverter circuit includes DC/DC converter receiving the first DC output voltage, for outputting a second DC output voltage less than a peak value of the first DC output voltage, and DC/AC converter receiving the second DC output voltage for outputting the high frequency voltage, the DC/DC converter and DC/AC converter sharing a common switching element, the DC/AC converter receiving a DC voltage less than the voltage produced by the A.C. power source.

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Masanori Mishima